Stakeholder Input Process Public Meeting #3 January 21, 2016 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Orange Lake Habitat Management Plan Stakeholder Input Process Public Meeting #3 January 21, 2016

Welcome and Introductions

Orange Creek Basin Community Working Groups

Orange Lake Habitat Management – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Other CWGs:

• Herbicide Workshop (March 2015) –

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

• Hydrology/Geology Workshop (November 2015)-

OCB Interagency Working Group

• Airboat Curfew Letter –

Alachua County

• Nutrient/BMAP Question –

Department of Environmental Protection

• Highway 301 Issue –

OCB Interagency Working Group

Orange Lake Habitat Management Plan (HMP) Community Working Group

• FWC is the lead agency
• Stakeholders have been involved from the

beginning and throughout the process of creating the Plan

• Process is facilitated by Normandeau

Associates, who are also writing the plan

• Began in February 2015 and is anticipated

to be complete in mid-2016

Normandeau Team

Christine Denny Fay Baird Karen Hill

Ground Rules

Please:

• Allow others to express their opinions, even if

they are different from your own.

• Respect time limits.
• Listen, and allow others the opportunity to

speak when it is their turn.

• Silence cell phones when in the meeting

room.

• Remember that everyone is here because

they care about Orange Lake.

Promise to Stakeholders

The Normandeau project team promises to provide

• pportunities for stakeholders to offer input into development
• f the FWC Orange Lake HMP. We promise to consider all

stakeholder input and recommendations for lake management goals, objectives, and action strategies. We promise to address and balance, where feasible, the needs of stakeholder groups along with FWC habitat management guidelines for the lake. FWC is committed to an HMP that consists of stakeholder supported management actions that are within FWC’s

• jurisdiction. FWC will make the final decisions on content of the

plan.

FWC

HABITAT MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES DOCUMENT

STAKEHOLDER INPUT HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN (HMP)

FWC

HABITAT MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR THE AQUATIC RESOURCES OF THE ORANGE CREEK BASIN (“Guidelines document”)

STAKEHOLDER INPUT

HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN (HMP)

Meeting 1 Collecting input

• n lake issues

Held July 14, 2015

Meeting 2 Goals and Objectives

Held October 13, 2015 Meeti eting ng 3 Action

• n

Strat rategies egies Today

Meeting 4 Review and Comment on HMP April 2016

Status: Writing the Plan

• Draft 1 Completed July 2015: Outline
• Draft 2 Submitted for FWC review September 2015:

Sections 1–3, Introduction, Background, Vision and Guiding Principles

• Draft 3 Submitted for FWC review January 2016:

Revisions to Sections 1-3; Section 4, Management Goals and Objectives. Drafts and other HMP documents are posted on the Orange Creek Basin website: https

tps:// ://orangecree rangecreekbasin.w kbasin.word

• rdpres

ress.co s.com m

Next Steps: Writing the Plan

• Draft 4 (Final) Public Review version scheduled for

submittal to FWC in March 2016

• Stakeholder comments on Draft 4 will be solicited at

Public Meeting 4

• Final Plan including revisions and stakeholder

comment resolution section scheduled for completion by May 28, 2016.

How we used your input from the first 2 public meetings

From input at Meeting 1, FWC determined what issues are of concern to various stakeholders and used these to set broad goals for the HMP At Meeting 2, FWC

• presented draft objectives to accomplish HMP goals;
• solicited input on draft objectives;
• solicited additional objectives from stakeholders.

Input has been incorporated into

• 1. Draft 3 of the HMP;
• 2. Guidelines that are being used by FWC to

generate action strategies. How we used your input from the first 2 public meetings, continued

Tonight FWC will present information on action strategies that are being considered for the Orange Lake Habitat Management Plan.

What is an action strategy?

Focus cus for Pu Publ blic c Me Meetin ting g #3

• An action strategy says HOW YOU WILL get

the objective accomplished.

GOAL AL

What t does es success cess look like?

OBJEC ECTIV TIVE

What t will it take? e?

ACTION ION STRATEG TEGY

How will you do it?

#2 #2 #1 #1 #3 #3

What t NO a O age gency ncy or pr privat ate e en enti tity ty can n do

• Control wind
• Control rainfall
• Provide unlimited funds
• Take action in areas in which it has no jurisdiction
• Simultaneously meet the needs of all possible users of

Orange Lake at all times in a system with a wide range of fluctuations in water levels, lake area and fish/wildlife habitats

Wh What t FW FWC can an pr provide vide th through

• ugh th

this s Plan an

• Address the needs of most stakeholder groups
• Commit to limitations on use of management techniques

that are unpopular with many stakeholders

• Use the HMP to create annual work plans that meet FWC

mandates, habitat management guidelines, and balance stakeholder interests

• Make the best use of available funding
• Provide recommendations on future collaboration between

agencies

Handout: Possible management tools

Communications

In addition to action strategies for access, habitat and invasives, FWC is drafting actions to promote effective public communications. Actions under discussion include:

• Twice yearly meetings to inform the public

about upcoming work

• A new website with information on current

conditions and FWC activities

Anticipated Methods and Control of Plants on Orange Lake

• Floating plants (hyacinth/lettuce)
• Plants blocking access & navigation
• Control other noxious plants
• Create open areas in large hydrilla mats

Funding Priorities on Orange Lake

Floating Plant Management

Water lettuce Water hyacinth

Maintenance Control

Crisis management Control when populations are small

74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 2 4 6 8 10 12

Units in Thousands

Year

Hyacinth Acres Acres Controlled Tons of Organics Pounds of 2,4-D

Maintenance Control Suwannee River 1974 - 2006

Frog’s Bit – Limnobium spongia

• Acts like Hyacinth
• Does not have an
• bvious flower
• Can form dense mats
• Displaces native

plants

Cuban bulrush – Oxycaryum cubense

• Can be floating or

rooted

• Can form dense mats
• Displaces native

plants

Access & Navigation

Two components of managing for Access and Navigation on Orange Lake

• Floating tussock

management

• Submersed Plant

Management

Submerged Vegetation/Hydrilla Management

Two types of treatments utilizing herbicide

• Trails using contact herbicide
• Small block (5-50 acres) at critical

navigation points

Anticipated Use of Herbicides

• There have been no hydrilla

treatments in the last 5 years

• Little to none regarding

“tussock” control

• Does not reflect other

exotic/noxious plants

• Growing conditions can be

variable

• Trail maintenance ?

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Acres of Plants Controlled with Herbicide

?

Floating Tussock Management

Combination of mechanical shredding and herbicide

• Shredder - floating mud

and vegetation

• Herbicide – mostly

vegetation

Anticipated Use of Mechanical

• Scale is a factor
• Shredder $875-

$1,250/Acre

• Wind conditions are

variable

• Water levels

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Acres of Tussock Material Mechanically Controlled

Example of area calculation for treatment: ~ 44 miles of trails, 10ft. wide To Treat ½ = About 27 acres

Orange Lake Trails Maintained in the Past

daniel.dorosheff@myfwc.com 386-758-0525

Online Survey

Options:

• Fill out a print copy tonight and leave it with

us.

• Visit the link shown on the agenda and fill the

survey out online.

• Take the print copy home, fill it out and mail

it to us at the address on the print copy. You’ll

have to pay for the postage stamp. FWC will email the online survey link to the Orange Lake stakeholder list tomorrow. You must respond by February 7th for your input to be included.

Why should we do this?

Observed meanings for “Restoration” used in pr pres esen entati tions

• ns at the

e ShORE RE Symposium mposium on t the e Indi dian Riv iver er Lago goon, , Novem ember ber 2015

 Stormwater system retrofit  Causeway removal  Septic tank removal and connection to sewage treatment plant  Muck removal to reduce internal nutrient loading  Canal dredging  Navigation channel dredging  Pollutant source removal  Increasing flushing rates

Anticipated Methods for Fish & Wildlife Habitat Management

Environmental Considerations

• Water Levels
• Manage habitat composition when water levels are normal/high.
• Pro active management and preventive maintenance to minimize

impacts of low water during extreme drought.

2001-2002 Sediment excavation and rotovating 1998-1999 Tussock removal

Normal or High Water Active Management

• Actively manage vegetation

communities to achieve balanced proportions.

Target range Target range 2013 Habitat type % acres %

ac

Tree island 0.5–7.5% 64 - 953 2.30%

291

Shrub swamp 2.5–7.5% 318 - 953 16.90% 2137 Shallow marsh 20.0–30.0% 2541 - 3812 17.10% 2159 Floating marsh 5.0–22.5% 635 - 2859 49.10% 6212 Deep marsh 7.5–20.0% 953 - 2541 5.20% 657 Floating island 0.8–5.0% 102 - 635 0.40% 52 Open water 30.0–50.0% 3812 - 6353 9.00% 1136 SAV 20.0–57.5% 2541 - 7306 0.20% 20

Mechanical Harvesting

• Used for reclamation, enhancement

and maintenance of Shallow Marsh, Deep Marsh and Open Water habitats.

• Used in locations where nearby

upland disposal is available and removal of material is necessary to achieve desired habitat conditions.

Capable of removing light weight floating vegetation, heavy mud tussocks and small floating islands.

Harvesting

Wide variety of equipment types, capabilities and associated costs.

Harvesting

Mechanical Shredding

• Used for reclamation,

enhancement and maintenance of Shallow Marsh, Deep Marsh, Shrub Swamp and Open Water habitats.

• Capable of dismantling

lightweight mats of floating vegetation, heavy mud tussocks and thickets of small trees and shrubs.

Shredding

Herbicide

Used for reclamation, enhancement and maintenance of Shallow Marsh, Deep Marsh, Shrub Swamp, SAV and Open Water habitats.

2 days Post Treatment 4 wks PT

Herbicide

6 wks PT

May be applied by a variety of methods depending scope and scale.

Herbicide

Multiple products with a variety of use patterns and selectivity Condition and site specific application methods

+ =

Accurate and precise use of herbicide required to achieve habitat management

• bjectives.

Herbicide

Fire

Vegetation management under flooded conditions.

2001-2002 Sediment excavation and rotovating 1998-1999 Tussock removal Harvesting Shredding Herbicide Roller Chopping Mowing Tilling Scraping

Low Water Preventive Maintenance

• Inhibit encroachment of woody

species into herbaceous marsh communities.

• Reduce or eliminate organic

sediment accumulation.

• Manipulate exposed sediments to

inhibit tussock formation.

Moist Soil Management

Roller Chopping

Mechanical and Chemical Vegetation Control

Organic Sediment Removal “Scraping”

Sportsmen’s Cove

Richardson’s

Lightpole/MKR

Planting

Cost Considerations

• Herbicide

– $100-130/ac – 870 acres*

• Mechanical Shredding

– $750-$1,500/ac – ~90 acres*

• Mechanical Harvesting

– $4,000-$10,000/ac – ~15 acres*

* Hypothetical budget of $100,000

Herbicide Mowing Till/Disc Roller Chop Scrape

Setting Limits

• Total Area for Habitat Management

– Establish annual maximum area to be targeted for lake-wide habitat management (all methods combined).

• Balanced Proportions

– Establish annual limits for each individual habitat type to be targeted for management in any given year (i.e. no more than 25%

• f recommended range).
• Develop a Process for Extreme Circumstances

– Stakeholder involvement required prior to FWC action to address extreme situations.

Questions?

Public Comment

Thank You For Attending

• Ne

Next xt Publ blic ic Meeting ting: : Review view Fina nal l Draf aft t HMP P - Date and location TBA

• For

r draf afts ts an and other ther infor

• rmat

mation ion: :

https://orangecreekbasin.wordpress.com

• Link to survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K69H3NT